Car-starter



(No Model.)

T. F. BOURNE.

GAR STARTER.

No. 323,629. Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

ATTORNEYS.

H. PETERS. PhmmLnm r-m. Wasmngtum D. C.

UNITED Siarns arem tries,

THEODORE FREDERICK BOURNE, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEXV JERSEY.

CAR-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,629, dated August 4, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Tnnononn FREDERICK BOURNE, of Bloomfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and Improved Oar-Starter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient mechanism for starting streetrailway cars by the pull of draft-animals.

The invention consists in various constructions and combinations of parts of the carstarter mechanism, and their connection with the car'body and draft-bar of the car, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is aside view of my improved carstarter as applied to one end of an ordinary street-railway car, with the ear-axle and lever-hanger in section, and showing the parts of the car-starter in the positions they assume when the draft-strain is not applied to move the car. Fig. 2 is a sectional view with the parts of the car-starter in the positions they take when the draft first is applied to the car. Fig. 3 is a sectional view with the parts of the canstarter in the positions they assume when the draftstrain is fully applied and the car is moving, and Fig. i is asectional plan view of the main parts of the car-starter and apart of the car-axle.

The letter A indicates aportion of the body of an ordi nary street-railway car. B are the forward wheels, which are fixed, as usual, on an axle, G.

On the axle O, at about its center, I fix the ratchetwheel D, and on the axle is hung loosely at its forward end the arm E, to the other end of which is pivoted at f the lever F, which carries at its forward end the pawl G, adapted to engage the teeth (I of the ratchet-wheel D.

Aspring, H, of spiral or other approved form, connects the pawl G with the body of the car, or it may be with a part of the cartruck.

I prefer to make the arm E in the forked or yoke form shown clearly in 4, and to hang it on the axle O by the two boxes e 6, one at each side of the ratchet-wheel D.

The letter I indicates a hanger fixed to the car-body, and having a cross-bar, 2', on which the arm E may rest.

To the back end of the lever F, I attach the inner end of a chain or rope, J, which passes over suitable guide pulleys or sheaves, K, journaled to the car-body, and is connected to the inner end of the draft-bar L, which is supported and slides in keepers M N, fixed beheath the car-platform.

The draft-bar L has a fixed collar, 0, which draws against the keeper N toniove the car by the pull of the horses hitched to the hook end Z of the draft-bar, and between the keepers M N the bar L is provided with another fixed collar, P, between which and the forward keeper, M, a spiral spring, R, is placed, so as to force the draft-bar back when the draftstrain is relaxed.

The lever and pawl G are provided with stop-shoulders at g, which hold the pawl in proper normal relative position with the ratchet-wheel D when the draft is not applied to move the ear, and a stop, as at S, is provided to limit the independent swing of the lever F on the pivot f in the arm E. This step S may consist of a cross-bar fixed either to the arm E or the lever F. It is shown fixed to lever]? in the drawings.

The operation is as follows: hen the draft is not applied to the bar L, the arm E will rest on the cross-bar 43 of hanger I, and the pawl G will be held out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel D, as in Fig. 1. When the draft is applied, the first effect will be to swing the lever F forward on the pin f, to engage the pawl G with the ratchet-wheel D, and about at the same time bring the stop S in contact with the arm E, as shown in Fig. 2, and as the draft-strain continues the lever F, with the arm IE, will be swung forward and upward to gether, and the pawl G will act to turn the ratchet-wheel D, and with it the axle O and wheels 13, to start the car. As'the car moves, and the ratchet-wheel D turns forward, and the draft-bar collar 0 contacts the keeper N, the pawl G will be released, and the spring H then will act to lift the pawl from the ratchetwhecl to avoid noisy click of the pawl on the ratchet-teeth as the car moves on, and as shown in F ig.-3. WVhen the draft-strain is relaxed, the spring B will act instantly to force the draft-bar L back and allow the parts G F E to fall by their own weight onto the hanger-support I, as in Fig. 1, ready for the next action in starting the car.

It will be understood that there will be a car-starting mechanism, as above described, connected with the trucks and draft-bars at each end of the car, for action in starting the car in opposite directions of travel, and the car-starting mechanism out of use will be free from noise, and will not interfere with the ac tion of the starter in use at the other end of the car.

If desired, the swinging bar E may be supported at the forward end otherwise than on the axle C; but the construction shown is preferred.

WVith modifications which will readily suggest themselves my improvement may be applied to other wheeled vehicles beside streetrailway cars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-starter comprising a ratchetwheel fixed to the car-axle, a lever pivoted to a swinging support and carrying a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel, and a chain or coupling connecting the lever to the draft-bar of the car, the combination, with said elements, of a stop, S, between the lever and its swinging support, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a Carstarter, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a ratchet-whcel fixed to the ear-axle, a lever pivoted to a swinging support and carrying a pawl chain J, and draft-bar L, substantially asherein set forth.

4. The combination, in a car-starter, of the car A, wheels B, axle O, ratchet-wheel D, arm E, lever F, stop S, pawl Gr, spring H, draftchain J, draft-bar L, and the hangersupport I, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, in a car-starter, of the car A, wheels B, axle O, ratchet-wheel D, arm

E, lever F, pawl G, chain J, and a draft-bar,

L, supported in keepers M N and having the collars O P and the spring R, substantially as herein set forth.

6. In a car-starter, the combination, substantially ashereinbei'ore described,of a ratchet-wheel attached to the car-axle, a lever pivoted to one end of a swinging support, which support is pivoted at its other extremity to the car-axle, a pawl carried upon said lever, adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel, a stop, S, between the lever and its swinging support. a retracting-spring, H, connecting the pawl with a relatively fixed portion of the car, the hanger I, chain J, pulley K, and draft-bar L, supported in keepers M N and having the shoulders O P and the spring R, as set forth.

THEODORE FREDERICK BOURKE.

Vitn esses:

HENRY L. GOODWIN, G. Snnewrox. 

